Goodbye, My Priestess
by That Gryffindor Flame
Summary: When Morgana and Morgause enter Camelot's court and put everyone in chains, i think this was the ending everyone least expected. Morgana realising her wrongs, and trying to put them right.


As the two witches burst through the doors, the court, including Uther and Arthur, found themselves completely chained by iron bounds. Morgana laughed, "Surprised, my dear father, brother?" She spat, "To see me, standing here with my real family ready to take over?"

Morgause smiled, cruelly, "Now sister, there was something you wanted to check before we killed them all, something about Emrys?"

Merlin and Gaius shared a scared look, before eyeing the King.

"Oh, yes." Morgana smiled, "Release Emrys." She hissed, her eyes flashing red. Merlin's chains broke with a clank, and everyone stared at him wide eyed. He grinned,

"Thank you Morgana, I would of broken them myself, but I figured I better save my energy for a bigger battle, eh?"

Morgana paled to white, Morgause stammered. "But… But… You're only a serving boy! Arthur's serving boy at that! You can not be –"

"Emrys?" Merlin grinned, "Oh come on, I'm the most powerful being alive, you really think I'm not going to keep it a secret?"

Morgana started to back away, "Oh Morgana, don't be like that, just because –"

"MURDERER!" Morgana shrieked, "MURDERER!"

Merlin rolled his eyes and turned his back, to face Gwaine and Gaius who were trying not to laugh, "She really has lost it, hasn't she?"

A ball of orange light whizzed past his ear and hit the far wall; he turned quickly, stretched out a hand and lifted Morgause higher and higher into the air. She shrieked.

"Oh come on Morgause," Merlin hissed, "Don't be a coward and try curse someone when they're back is turned, you're meant to be a high priestess for goodness sake."

He let the witch fall to the ground. "I won't kill you yet." He said, he smiled, "Maybe after you say goodbye to your sister, then yes, Morgana, I will officially be a murderer."

Morgana let tears drip from her eyes, and Morgause stood. "Join us Merlin Emrys!" She said excitedly, walking forward confidently, "Your power is extraordinary. You don't have to kill me, or my sister, you said it yourself, that you are the most powerful being on this earth, yet you are a serving boy!" She laughed, holding out a hand to him, "Join us, run this land, become great. All you have to do, is stand and watch Arthur and Uther die, and you can have anything you ever wanted."

Merlin smiled, sighed and turned. He looked an astonished and scared Arthur in the eye and grinned his fullest grin. "I'm sorry Morgause." He said, laughing, "But we both know that I would never betray Arthur, it's not my destiny to." His eyes flashed and the girl crumbled to dust where she stood. "I can not keep wishes to someone who tries to make me betray my friends." He told Morgana, shrugging. "I'm sorry you didn't get your goodbye."

Morgana gave a small sob. "Why are you apologising to me?" She asked quietly, "You are no doubt going to kill me in a matter of minutes."

Merlin smiled, "No doubt." He agreed. "But I am apologising because I am telling the truth, I am sorry you didn't get your goodbye. I am apologising, because no matter how much you hate the fact, we were once friends." 

"And now you're going to kill me." Morgana whispered. And Merlin sighed, as the court watched their exchange.

"You know I have to," He said quietly, "It is destiny. You would kill Arthur if I didn't kill you. We both know I can't let that happen." Arthur looked shocked.

Morgana smiled, wiping her eyes. "You were always so loyal." She laughed softly, "Now I understand why. You've been saving his royal ass for the past 4 years."

Merlin laughed loudly at that. "Got it in one Gana." He grinned; Morgana raised an eyebrow.

"Gana?"

"Oh come on, you can't live a life without a nickname!"

"Oh really," Morgana crossed her arms, "What's yours?"

"Idiot. Arthur gave it to me. Big ears. Will gave that to me. Stupid boy. Gaius gave that to me. Love. Freya gave that to me. Thorn in my side. You gave that to me." Merlin shrugged smiling, "You can pick." He looked Morgana up and down, "You know; if you hadn't turned evil, we could still be friends now."

"WE COULD BE FRIENDS IF YOU HADN'T BETRAYED YOUR KIND!" Morgana screamed, bursting. "YOU ARE MEANT TO BE OUR KING! KING EMRYS OF THE DRUIDS WHO WILL LET MAGIC RUN WILD AND FREE IN ALBION, AS IT SHOULD! WHERE'S THAT KING?"

Merlin flinched at nearly everyone word, "My duty is to Arthur." He said back, loud and clear, "It always has been, and it always will be. I am to help Arthur, save Arthur and do what I can for Arthur. Yes, I could have done more to save my kind, but that wouldn't be helping Arthur. That would be revealing my magic and securing his death by securing mine, and therefore securing the death of the future Albion, and the free run of magic. I was hurt every time a sorcerer or magic user or druid was killed, Morgana, and you know very well that's true." Arthur was positively white and stunned looking at this point. As was Uther.

Morgana growled at him, "Fine. Just kill me already, get it over with."

Merlin smiled gently, "If you wish. How would you like to go?"

Morgana looked at him with wide eyes, "You are letting me choose?" She said in astonishment, "You're letting me choose how I die?"

"Of course. And where do you want to go afterwards, the isle of the blessed, or the lake of Avalon?"

The previous Ward of King Uther gaped like a goldfish, "Uh… Lake of Avalon." She said, "No! Isle of the blessed! Uh… I don't know…"

"That's ok." Merlin told her, "The lake of Avalon is home to Sidhe, and there resides the Lady of the Lake, who is the gatekeeper of Avalon. Her name is Freya. I could ask her to take care of you if you wish. I hear she needs some help with the gates, and sometimes you can poke your head out of the water, see people on the shore, it's a way of seeing people. The Isle of the Blessed is home to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion, and the deceased ones spirits. You would help choose who enters the blessed land, most likely, as a priestess –"

"Wait, I'm a priestess?" Morgana interrupted,

"Yes. Not a high priestess, but still a priestess. Both Morgause and Nimueh were high priestesses. As I was saying, as a priestess, you will help choose who enters the blessed land, who stays in Limbo, and who goes to the depths."

"What is Limbo?"

"The place between life and death." Merlin answered her question.

"Where will you and Arthur go?" Morgana asked quietly. Merlin sighed.

"Arthur will go to the blessed land. No doubt. I, however…."

"What?" The witch asked curiously.

Merlin sighed, tugging a hand through his hair, "I am King of the Old Religion. I was to be the High King of the Old Religion; I would be the deciding vote on who enters the blessed land. But… My sister is in Avalon."

"Freya?"

"Yes. I will probably be going back and forth I suppose. Day's at the isle and nights with Freya in Avalon."

"Alright, I will go to the Isle of the Blessed please." Morgana decided, "Maybe I can repay you for some of the damage I caused, my lord."

Merlin shuddered, "Never call me 'my lord' again, Gana. That is wrong, especially coming from you."

Morgana laughed, "By the way, are you going to release everyone from their bounds?"

Merlin smiled, "Not until after you're… gone. They will probably charge at you with knifes."

"For someone who is meant to protect Arthur I am surprised you aren't." 

"I prefer killing the civilised way!" Merlin defended himself.

Morgana laughed, "Ok fine, and Merlin, I have decided how I want to die."

"Yes?"

"Quick, painless poison."

"You sure?"

Morgana took a breath, closing her eyes. "Yes." Merlin summoned a small vial, filled with dark green liquid. "Merlin." Morgana said quietly, "When you poisoned me for the good of Camelot, you held me until I died then. Do you think…?"

Merlin smiled and dropped to the floor almost instantly, Morgana had tears in her eyes as she sat by him, curling into his embrace as the court stayed at the pair in awe. Merlin snaked an arm around Morgana's shoulders, and she lent her head on his shoulder, he uncorked the bottle.

"Are you ready?" He whispered, she took a deep breath and shook her head, before taking the bottle. And she drank it all.

She went slightly white first, shaking slightly. "Wave to Arthur and Uther." Merlin whispered to her, holding up her hand for her and shaking it in the royal's direction, Morgana let out a breath of laughter, "And wave to Gwen and Gaius and the Knights." She did, letting out another breath of laughter, and then she was gasping as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Thank you," She whispered to him, tears pouring down her pale cheeks, "For helping… me make the right… choice. In the end. Thank you. My King."

"Thank you, my priestess." Merlin replied softly, kissing the top of her head, "Thank you, let the isles bless you, my priestess." He kissed the top of her head again, as the dark haired witch, closed her eyes, took her last breath, and fell limp against Merlin's side.

"I knew you were good, deep inside." Merlin whispered, he had tears running down his cheeks as everyone in the hall stared at the limp body in his arms. "Goodbye Morgana." He said, "Goodbye one last time."


End file.
